Howdy, Y'alltag:,2012:/12012-05-18T03:00:41ZMovable Type 3.35Gonna get hottag:www.charlesfake.com,2012://1.26062012-05-18T11:00:00Z2012-05-18T03:00:41ZHotter than ever, they say...Charles Fakehttp://www.charlesfake.comHotter than ever, they say]]>
May 18, 2012 (Friday)The experts predicted this week that this summer will be warmer than last summer, which was the hottest summer on record since 1895, the year we began keeping such records.
We hear talk about the Tropical Pacific warming up, cooling off, or maintaining neutral temperatures, all of which affect the weather around the world. Since most of the surface of the earth is made up of water, and some parts of the ocean are unbelievably deep, it stands to reason that whatever happens in the oceans will affect weather in the land areas.
Predictions would be easy if El Niño and La Niña were the only factors, but they are not. Our technology today has let us in on many of nature's secrets but there is still much we do not know. The old saying, "Everyone talks about the weather, but no one does anything about it," is still true, even though we know a lot more about it.
What can we do? Well, a lot of people are studying that very problem as we continue to think about it day by day. The current stalemate that prevents action is due to disagreement among ourselves about what's actually happening. Experts assess the facts and come up with differing interpretations.
What can average people do about it? Well, we can most certainly do our human duty by "talking about it" and we will. The daily mantra for Texans in the summertime is and always has been, "Hot 'nuf fer ya?" I can hardly wait.]]>
David Fostertag:www.charlesfake.com,2012://1.26052012-05-17T11:00:00Z2012-05-18T13:45:08ZA dear friend now with the Lord...Charles Fakehttp://www.charlesfake.comA dear friend now with the Lord]]>
May 17, 2012 (Thursday)Yesterday a memorial service was conducted at the North Fort Worth Baptist Church for David Foster. David was one of those "preacher boys" from Liberty Road Baptist Church in Houston. Just a few weeks ago I published for a second time a picture of those young men, taken around 1950, at the church. There were six of us: Herbie Zimmerman, Maurice Smith, Troy Conner, Townsend Taake, David Foster, and I.
On a Labor Day weekend in 1948, the pastor, Brother Hunt, took a little vacation and asked David and me to preach in his place. I preached in the morning and David preached in the evening. It was the first sermon each of us had ever preached. As I recall, we did pretty well, considering the fact that we had never done it before.
David, Troy and I roomed together at East Texas Baptist College, but I had to leave after 9 weeks because of illness. After college, Troy went into military service and served as Chaplain's assistant. David served in the Korean War.
David's life turned toward education, and he served as teacher, administrator and superintendent of schools. Although we lost touch with each other through the years, in recent years we met in Galveston with several others who had been young people in the Liberty Road Baptist Church. We did this several times, for about a week each time. Those were memorable reunions that allowed us to express our thankfulness to the Lord for allowing our lives to touch. In a very real way, the spiritual lives of all of us were enriched by the dedication to Christ of the others. Now most of us are in our 80's and some of us are with the Lord in Heaven.
I pray for David's wife, Shirley, and their daughters and grandchildren as they adjust to life without him. God's grace is sufficient for every kind of moment in life. They are comforted by their faith and the fact that their loved one was faithful to Christ and helped to make this world a better place.]]>
It's Showtimetag:www.charlesfake.com,2012://1.26042012-05-16T11:00:00Z2012-05-16T13:33:45ZAnd you are the star...Charles Fakehttp://www.charlesfake.comAnd you are the star]]>
May 16, 2012 (Wednesday)Remember when the political conventions actually selected the candidates? Those conventions were followed by a few short months of intense campaigning before the general elections in November. Well, those days are gone. Here it is mid-May, and we know very well who the candidates for the two major parties will be. They've both been politicking for a very long time. A third party has given up on finding a candidate, according to today's news reports, so the two will each spend the next six months telling us why the opponent is a bad guy and why we should vote for him (the good guy).
Most of us already know how we will vote. So the candidates' pitches will be aimed at the undecided voters. Perhaps the candidates will stumble along the way and lose some votes here and there, but the minds of most people are made up and nothing that is said or done during the next months will change them.
While everyone's attention will be focused on the race for president, many, many other offices will be decided in November, including local and state governmental positions. We owe it to our country to know who is running and what they stand for, so that we may vote intelligently. We owe it to our way of life to go to the polls and vote when the time comes. The refusal to register and vote is an un-American action. Let us be thankful we have the vote. People in many other nations do not.
My country,' tis of thee,
sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing;
land where my fathers died,
land of the pilgrims' pride,
from every mountainside let freedom ring!
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What Are Your Assets?tag:www.charlesfake.com,2012://1.26032012-05-15T11:00:00Z2012-05-15T03:58:02ZAre they spiritually valuable?...Charles Fakehttp://www.charlesfake.comAre they spiritually valuable?]]>
May 15, 2012 (Tuesday)When Paul came to the end of his life, he assessed his situation. Before he met Jesus on the road to Damascus, he was well on the way toward wealth, prestige and enjoyment of the comforts that accompany those qualities, because he was a Pharisee, having been trained since childhood for such. After his conversion and call to take the gospel to Gentiles, he became dependent upon meagre profits from his part-time tentmaking occupation and upon the generosity of Christians in churches that assisted him. He made it clear in his writings that God supplied all his needs. Here at the close of his life (2 Timothy 4:6), he lists his assets, but money and possessions are not on his list. What did he have?
He had a good record. He wrote, "I have finished the race." In other words, he had lived his life as the Lord directed him to live it. He followed God's plan. He added, "I have fought the good fight," referring to the spiritual warfare between good and evil (Ephesians 6). Although hounded and persecuted by enemies, he fought back only with prayer and the word of God. He "kept the faith." He was true to the gospel, and always exalted Jesus as the one and only Savior for all humankind.
He had good friends. In the fourth chapter of 2 Timothy he mentions some of them. Everywhere Paul went, he was accompanied by people who wanted to help him voluntarily. Here in this Roman prison, awaiting the executioner, he is thankful for those friends.
He had a beautiful home, although he had not yet moved into it. His home was in Heaven. His reward was in Heaven. He would see his Savior face to face in Heaven. He looked forward to seeing Jesus and hearing him say, "Well done."
All of Paul's assets were spiritual: a good record, some good friends, and a home in Heaven. Let's listen to him as he tells us about the things that mattered to him: "I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing" (2 Timothy 4:6-8 NIV).]]>
Strong Faithtag:www.charlesfake.com,2012://1.26022012-05-14T11:00:00Z2012-05-14T04:31:31ZLingering thoughts from Mothers Day...Charles Fakehttp://www.charlesfake.comLingering thoughts from Mothers Day]]>
May14, 2012 (Monday)In his letter of encouragement to Timothy, his "son" in the ministry, the Apostle Paul reminds him that faith was his family heritage. His mother and grandmother were believers and set the example for Timothy, teaching him to love the Scriptures, to live for Christ and to pray.
Timothy's faith had been shared with him by his family and other believers and through his own daily study of the Scriptures. Paul reminds him, "from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:16 NIV). The Scriptures shared eternal truth with Timothy as he faithfully read them.
Timothy had a sincere faith (2 Timothy 1:5). It was real. It was not simulated or hypocritical in any way. It was open and honest. It was the same kind of faith practiced by his mother and grandmother.
Timothy's faith was a simple faith, not difficult to understand. He believed in God as creator and ruler of all things, and he trusted in Jesus as his Savior. This simple faith found its way into his daily walk with God as he pointed others to Christ by word and deed.
If you have or had a Christian mother, be thankful. If you are a Christian mother, stay close to the Lord. If you are a mother who has not yet believed in Christ, then he is inviting you to follow him in faith today, and then to share that faith with your loved ones. ]]>
Chocolate-covered Bacontag:www.charlesfake.com,2012://1.25972012-05-11T11:00:00Z2012-05-11T03:05:20ZBetcha can't eat just one...Charles Fakehttp://www.charlesfake.comBetcha can't eat just one]]>
May 11, 2012 (Friday)Every once in a while I get the feeling that I must have been under a rock, on a space trip or just plain unconscious, because I have suddenly become aware of the existence of something that most people already know about. I'm talking about chocolate-covered bacon. You may have known all about it, but I just heard about it today.
References on the internet date back to 2005. Perhaps that is what bothers me most about this sudden awareness. People in many places have been eating this for seven years and I've been left out. I won't be visiting my cardiologist until September but I want to be sure and ask him if he has some good recipes for chocolate-covered bacon, or another delicacy called candied bacon, or even chicken-fried bacon. I can hardly wait for his answer.
If someone finds that he is allergic to this delicious addition to his diet, perhaps he can substitute pure grease in a prepared syringe suitable for injection at any time of day. Substituting only one word In a famous quotation from a former governor, "Cholestorol today, cholesterol tomorrow, cholesterol forever!" Or, if you prefer editing a Bible verse: "Eat chocolate-covered bacon, drink lots of sugar-filled sodas, and be merry, for tomorrow you die" (or maybe tonight).
Someone listed bacon ice cream; deep-fried bacon; chocolate-dipped bacon; bacon-wrapped hot dogs filled with cheese; brioche bread pudding smothered in bacon sauce; hard-boiled eggs coated in mayonnaise encased in bacon (called the 'heart attack snack'); bacon salt; bacon doughnuts, cupcakes and cookies; bacon mints; fast food's six strips of bacon mounded atop a half-pound cheeseburger; and a barbecued meat brick composed of 2 pounds of bacon wrapped around 2 pounds of sausage."
Here and now I vow never to eat any of these..unless offered by a good friend.
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His Way..Minetag:www.charlesfake.com,2012://1.25962012-05-10T11:00:00Z2012-05-10T03:11:53ZDo Others See Jesus in Me?...Charles Fakehttp://www.charlesfake.comDo Others See Jesus in Me?]]>
May 10, 2012 (Thursday)The biography of Jesus was presented by the Apostle Peter in five words: "he went about doing good" (Acts 10:38).
The Apostle Paul urges us to have the mind of Christ ("Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" - Philippians 2:5).
Jesus revealed his will for each of us when he said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 11:34-35 NIV).
Everywhere Jesus went, people flocked to him. They wanted to see him heal people. They wanted to hear his simple explanations about the will of God for them. Most of all, they just wanted to be near him for a while, because they knew that he cared about them.
When we accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we commit ourselves to live his way. And that is the way of loving God and others with our entire being. In 1954, Bo and Dick Baker wrote a song which expresses this longing in our hearts. The title of the song, "His Way..Mine."
His Way…Mine!
God has a place for every planned creation,
A path for every star to go.
He drew the course for every river’s journey,
Now I know he has a way for me.
Chorus:
I place my life in the hands of God.
Those hands so scarred now outstretched for me.
Where ever it may be, over land, over sea,
May thy will sublime, O Thou God divine, be mine.
Now in His will my soul finds life worth living,
Each day new blessings from above.
Tho shadows come and valleys seem unending,
Still I know He makes a way for me.
]]>
Love at First Sighttag:www.charlesfake.com,2012://1.25952012-05-09T11:00:00Z2012-05-09T05:23:28ZThe Disciple Who Never Was...Charles Fakehttp://www.charlesfake.comThe Disciple Who Never Was]]>
May 9, 2012 (Wednesday)"Jesus looked at him and loved him" (Mark 10:21 NIV). By any definition that's "love at first sight." There was something about him that caused Jesus to see the very best in him; he could have been a great disciple whose name would be well-known among Christians today. But we know him only as, "The Rich Young Ruler."
This young man had much to offer Christ. He was a good person, who faithfully obeyed the Ten Commandments. He was young, and had a life to offer in service to Jesus. As a young man, he more than likely had good health and strength, qualities that would have enhanced his abilities. He was a person of authority, a "ruler," whose background would have added to the strong qualities he was offering Jesus.
He had one question for Jesus: "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus replied that, in addition to morality, he would be required to give up all his wealth. He asked him to sell everything he had and give the proceeds to the poor. Then he was to take up his cross and follow Jesus, just like all his other disciples. Apparently, this was the one giant obstacle in the way of this young man. He wanted eternal life and he wanted to remain close to Christ, but he wanted to allow his material possessions to maintain first place.
In spite of Jesus' obvious affection for him, and his obvious desire to become one of Jesus' disciples, he could not give Jesus first place in his heart. ".. the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth" (Mark 10:22 NIV).
Jesus then turned to his disciples and told them that having wealth can be a hindrance to faith. It's not the money that keeps us from loving Christ, it's our devotion to a material and secular lifestyle. It's the love of money that's the root of all evil, not the money itself, which can be good, bad or neutral. It's up to us. "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs" (1 Timothy 6:10 NIV).
An old gospel song says it well:
"If I gained the world, but had not Jesus,
Were my life worth living for a day?
Could my yearning heart find rest and comfort
In the things that soon must pass away?"
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King Davidtag:www.charlesfake.com,2012://1.25942012-05-08T11:00:00Z2012-05-08T03:19:06ZThe Musician...Charles Fakehttp://www.charlesfake.comThe Musician]]>
May 8, 2012 (Tuesday)David in the Bible is introduced to us as a musician in 1 Samuel 16:14-23. He played the lyre (harp) and sang. When King Saul was having one of his episodes of madness, he asked for help. His attendants suggested someone to come to play and sing for him to help him feel better. So Saul said, "Find someone who plays well and bring him to me." It so happened that one of his attendants knew all about David and highly recommended him, so Saul sent for him. When the king met the young man, he liked him very much and gave orders for him to remain in his service as his armor-bearer. Whenever the need arose, David played and sang for the king, and he would feel better. David's musical interests and talents extended to much more than private concerts for Saul. Much of the interest in worship music today is traceable to his groundbreaking actions in its behalf.
"In various biblical passages, David is referred to as 'the favorite of the songs of Israel,' the one who soothed Saul with music, and the founder of Temple singing. A Psalms scroll from the Dead Sea Scrolls attributes 3600 tehilim (songs of praise) plus other compositions to David. Seventy-three of the 150 Psalms in the Bible are attributed to David. The supreme kingship of Yahweh is the most pervasive theological concept in the book of Psalms, and many psalms attributed to David are directed to Yahweh by name, whether in praise or petition, suggesting a relationship. According to the Midrash Tehillim, King David was prompted to the Psalms by the Holy Spirit that rested upon him." (--Wikipedia)
Music has been an integral part of the worship services of Christians from New Testament times, and the worship conducted by Israel set the precedent. Today it takes many forms, and all of them are very meaningful to the participants. How thankful we are for music in its many manifestations that draws us near to God in worship. As we thank the Lord for the music that thrills our souls, let's also breathe a prayer of thanks for King David, who set the pace for all who followed, including us.
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Mosestag:www.charlesfake.com,2012://1.25932012-05-07T11:00:00Z2012-05-07T00:04:06ZA life in three chapters...Charles Fakehttp://www.charlesfake.comA life in three chapters]]>
May 7, 2012 (Monday)A book about Moses today could easily be divided into three sections, because he lived 40 years as royalty, 40 years as a shepherd, and 40 years as a leader. The first third of his life was spent in privilege and honor, the second in plodding and obscurity, and the third in prominence as leader and intercessor.
The first two-thirds of his life were preparatory for the final third. As a baby his life was miraculously preserved. He was placed in a basket and set adrift where he was found by Pharaoh's daughter. He was raised as a member of the king's household. His private nurse and tutor was his own mother, who taught him about the one true God and his special place in God's plan. As he grew into adulthood, observing the harsh treatment of the Hebrew slaves, he decided on his own that it was time to act in defense of these people. He killed an Egyptian, thinking perhaps that the people would follow him as their leader. He was surprised and disappointed, however, as he suddenly was branded a killer and a fugitive, so he fled the country. He found refuge as a shepherd in Midian. Thus ended the first third of his life.
The next forty years found him in a solitary occupation, with plenty of time to meditate upon God's work in this world. He doubtless thought of the Hebrew people back in Egypt, still suffering as slaves and longing for freedom and a land of their own. He must have prayed for them often. As a shepherd he had learned how to deal with living out-of-doors and adjusting to the natural elements. He learned what it was like to maintain a simple life style. And he was healthy and strong. Then one day he saw something strange--a bush burning without being consumed. As he gazed at the miracle, he heard the voice of God, calling him back to Egypt, to lead the people of God to a new land all their own. With some reluctance, he surrendered to this call from God and soon found himself in Pharaoh's palace, delivering God's message to Egypt to let his people go free. And so the second third of Moses' life came to a close.
Pharaoh refused to let the people go. In response, God sent plague after plague. Each time Pharaoh agreed to let them go, but then changed his mind. Finally, the firstborn of every household died in one awful night. Only the Hebrew children were spared, because they followed the command of God to offer a sacrifice and place its blood on their house. Pharaoh then demanded that they leave. But true to form, he changed his mind after the people were on their way to the promised land. He pursued them, but God intervened and the people were spared. And so they were on their journey. Moses led them to receive God's law in the Ten Commandments, and to set up the Tabernacle for regular worship, but they refused to enter the new land because of fear. Moses led them for the next 40 years to wander in the wilderness, but his leadership during that time was never forgotten and his influence was felt as the people entered the land after his death.
Here was Moses' life (3 phases of 40 years each): 1. He ran ahead of God. 2. He ran behind God. 3. He ran with God.
Are you running WITH God?
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Did you say, "Leg?"tag:www.charlesfake.com,2012://1.25902012-05-04T11:00:00Z2012-05-04T02:13:55ZWhat did you mean?...Charles Fakehttp://www.charlesfake.comWhat did you mean?]]>
May 4, 2012 (Friday)How would you like to be learning English for the first time? Some words are used in so many different ways they pose a challenge to learning the language. For instance, think about the word, "leg." What does it mean? How is it used in a sentence?
The obvious answer is "a limb or appendange of an animal or person." But the word is used in many other ways. You and I are so accustomed to the various uses that we rarely give it a second thought when we hear it or speak it with different definitions in mind.
For instance, "a leg up" means an advantage of some kind, usually in competition. Or, how about "Break a leg," a show business term meaning, "Do a great job in entertaining people." Have you ever said, "You're pulling my leg" meaning "You're kidding me?" "We'll have to leg it:" we must walk. "He doesn't have a leg to stand on:" his argument is without merit. "He's on his last leg:" he is running out of options or perhaps about to die. "Shake a leg:" Hurry up. There's no telling how many of these expressions there are.
We speak of a "leg" as part of a pair of trousers. We savor the thought of a "chicken leg" as something to eat. We sit on chairs, trusting the "legs." We're glad to reach the last "leg" of a trip. See what I mean? Again I ask, how would you like to be learning English for the first time? Wouldn't be so easy, would it? Our colloquialisms, metaphors, euphemisms, allegories, slang, etc. take time to learn. Most of us who have been born and raised in this country never give them a second thought.
Perhaps one of our modern miracles is that we almost always understand each other. Every so often, however, there are glitches in communication. Small wonder.
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Gravytag:www.charlesfake.com,2012://1.25882012-05-03T11:00:00Z2012-05-03T02:51:02ZGood Gravy!...Charles Fakehttp://www.charlesfake.comGood Gravy!]]>
May 3, 2012 (Thursday)Yesterday I made gravy. This was not my first try, but so far in my cooking days it has been my best effort. I put too much pepper in it for my taste, but some folks would find it just right and others might say there was not quite enough pepper in it. My goal is to make gravy that tastes like the gravy my family and friends made and make. Good old country gravy that covers biscuits, corn bread, chicken, steak, plain sliced bread, potatoes, rice, or almost anything else.
The word, "gravy," can also mean something wonderful that has come your way, or a windfall of some kind. It can describe unexpected benefits or profits.
A slang expression often heard is "gravy train," a job requiring little time or work but paying well, or financial gain of any kind gained over a period of time, offering great profits with little or no effort.
In our world today, "gravy train" can even refer to a dog food brand, a rock group, a song title, a music album title, or a dramatic presentation by that name. Its use for other venues is proof of its popularity as slang.
Back to the real thing. Descriptions of my kind of gravy -- the kind we eat -- are: thickened gravy, brown gravy, white gravy, milk gravy, pan gravy, meat gravy, sausage gravy, bacon gravy, plain gravy, cream gravy, giblet gravy, roast gravy, brisket gravy, onion gravy, red-eye gravy, etc. Similar items on the table might be sauce, white sauce, butter sauce, salad dressing, etc. Just the thought of such things makes bells ring in my head (the kind of bells attached to weight scales).
I looked for a song about gravy and found one named, "Soppin' the Gravy." Apparently it's only an instrumental--no words. Great! There are no words that can adequately describe great gravy, especially the soppin' kind.
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Bananastag:www.charlesfake.com,2012://1.25872012-05-02T11:00:00Z2012-05-02T02:09:13ZInteresting food...Charles Fakehttp://www.charlesfake.comInteresting food]]>
May 2, 2012 (Wednesday)Bananas. Do you like them? Many people do. A lot of folks have been told to eat bananas as a source of potassium. Actually there are a number of foods richer in potassium content than bananas, but I suppose a banana is easier to eat and requires no preparation. Besides, it has a delightful taste that most people enjoy. Did you know that bananas are radioactive? But, of course, all organic foods are. Nuclear experts love to use the banana index to describe how little radiation may be present in suspicious environmental situations.
We humans almost always peel a banana by bending the stem end until it breaks. Then we grasp the broken peel and proceed easily. Chimpanzees and gorillas, however, peel their bananas from the other end. Why, I don't know. Maybe we ought to find out. We may be missing something.
Bananas have many uses. The giant leaves of the plant can be used for umbrellas and rain coats if needed during a sudden tropical downpour. Various medical uses have been suggested. And bananas are foods with a plan A (eat it fresh) and a plan B (make banana bread). Plan B usually is applied when the bananas have grown dark and soft and no one wants to eat them. But banana bread is delicious and almost everyone enjoys eating it.
I haven't had a banana in ages, but after re-reading my blog today, I think I may try one. I need to be active, radio or otherwise.
I discovered a delightful use of bananas on a web site devoted to such things. It is "breakfast on the go." It involves removing the center of the banana and filling it with cereal and milk. (Click here to go to the web site). Probably not practical, but may be loads of fun for kids.
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May Daytag:www.charlesfake.com,2012://1.25862012-05-01T11:00:00Z2012-05-01T04:33:01ZCelebrate?...Charles Fakehttp://www.charlesfake.comCelebrate?]]>
May 1, 2012 (Tuesday)Today is "May Day," which once was celebrated with much more exuberance than it is today. When I was in elementary school around 1940 or 1941, it was a "big deal," with the kids dressed up in costumes and a maypole.
As I recall, the maypole was the last event on the program, and we each held on to a very long strip of crepe paper, brightly colored, and skipped around the pole, braiding the paper as we went. When we completed all our circuits around the pole, the multi-colored paper transformed it into a real maypole, whatever that was supposed to be.
The maypole thing was preceded with dances around it by the boys and girls. I remember a couple of those. In one of them I was dressed in a sailor suit, and sort of hopped from foot to foot, alternately placing my hands at my waist and at my back, to the tune of "Sailing, sailing over the bounding main.."
Another of those dances involved girl-boy partners dressed like little cowboys and cowgirls and we sort of skipped as we moved around the pole to "Put your little foot, put your little foot, put your little foot right here.." (or "there" maybe). We always did something from year to year. I'm sure the adults found it hard to be cheerful and happy-go-lucky at those May Day celebrations as the war in Europe was about to involve our own country. As a matter of fact, I recall one day at school when the radio was tied into the public address system and Hitler's speech was broadcast so that the entire student body could hear it.
So the memories are both happy and sad. A microcosm of life itself, which includes experiences of all kinds.
I'm not sure if "May Day" has much meaning for us anymore, but I hope yours is a happy day.
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(This blog resembles one from September 2007. Click here if you like).]]>
Beveragestag:www.charlesfake.com,2012://1.25842012-04-30T11:00:00Z2012-04-30T02:44:16ZJuice is good...Charles Fakehttp://www.charlesfake.comJuice is good]]>
April 30, 2012 (Monday)I know it's not good for me to eat my meals without drinking anything, but it's what I usually do. I complete my dinner, then look up and see a full glass of something as yet untouched. If I'm in a restaurant, usually it's water. Since it's my habit to eat without drinking, why waste money on costly drinks that I won't drink? Usually I will drink most of the water after the meal because it's there.
At home, however, I drink a little of this and some of that, mostly diet drinks and coffee. For a long time, I preferred the artificially flavored and artificially sweetened drinks bought from the grocer as powders to be mixed with water. Usually a packet makes two quarts. Some of these products have been discontinued by the makers. Lately, I've discovered tomato juice. I find it easier to drink that with my meals, probably because it seems more like a vegetable (don't tell me it's a fruit, please--I know it is, but I would prefer not to know). It tastes good.
When I looked up the ingredients, vitamin content, fat, etc. I discovered that one of its uses is in mixed drinks (alcoholic beverages). However, I find it quite good all by itself. Haven't had but one partial bottle, so I've not yet given it a fair test as far as drinking it often. We'll see.
The people of the Bible did not drink tomato juice; tomatoes were not introduced to the Middle East until the late 1800's. Ancient Israelites drank water, milk, fresh juices from fruits in season, and wine. Dietary laws determined specific selections of food and drink for the Israelites.
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The experts predicted this week that this summer will be warmer than last summer, which was the hottest summer on record since 1895, the year we began keeping such records.
We hear talk about the Tropical Pacific warming up, cooling off, or maintaining neutral temperatures, all of which affect the weather around the world. Since most of the surface of the earth is made up of water, and some parts of the ocean are unbelievably deep, it stands to reason that whatever happens in the oceans will affect weather in the land areas.
Predictions would be easy if El Niño and La Niña were the only factors, but they are not. Our technology today has let us in on many of nature's secrets but there is still much we do not know. The old saying, "Everyone talks about the weather, but no one does anything about it," is still true, even though we know a lot more about it.
What can we do? Well, a lot of people are studying that very problem as we continue to think about it day by day. The current stalemate that prevents action is due to disagreement among ourselves about what's actually happening. Experts assess the facts and come up with differing interpretations.
What can average people do about it? Well, we can most certainly do our human duty by "talking about it" and we will. The daily mantra for Texans in the summertime is and always has been, "Hot 'nuf fer ya?" I can hardly wait.]]>
We did this several times, for about a week each time. Those were memorable reunions that allowed us to express our thankfulness to the Lord for allowing our lives to touch. In a very real way, the spiritual lives of all of us were enriched by the dedication to Christ of the others. Now most of us are in our 80's and some of us are with the Lord in Heaven.
I pray for David's wife, Shirley, and their daughters and grandchildren as they adjust to life without him. God's grace is sufficient for every kind of moment in life. They are comforted by their faith and the fact that their loved one was faithful to Christ and helped to make this world a better place.]]>
David in the Bible is introduced to us as a musician in 1 Samuel 16:14-23. He played the lyre (harp) and sang. When King Saul was having one of his episodes of madness, he asked for help. His attendants suggested someone to come to play and sing for him to help him feel better. So Saul said, "Find someone who plays well and bring him to me." It so happened that one of his attendants knew all about David and highly recommended him, so Saul sent for him. When the king met the young man, he liked him very much and gave orders for him to remain in his service as his armor-bearer. Whenever the need arose, David played and sang for the king, and he would feel better. David's musical interests and talents extended to much more than private concerts for Saul. Much of the interest in worship music today is traceable to his groundbreaking actions in its behalf.
Back to the real thing. Descriptions of my kind of gravy -- the kind we eat -- are: thickened gravy, brown gravy, white gravy, milk gravy, pan gravy, meat gravy, sausage gravy, bacon gravy, plain gravy, cream gravy, giblet gravy, roast gravy, brisket gravy, onion gravy, red-eye gravy, etc. Similar items on the table might be sauce, white sauce, butter sauce, salad dressing, etc. Just the thought of such things makes bells ring in my head (the kind of bells attached to weight scales).
I looked for a song about gravy and found one named, "Soppin' the Gravy." Apparently it's only an instrumental--no words. Great! There are no words that can adequately describe great gravy, especially the soppin' kind.
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I haven't had a banana in ages, but after re-reading my blog today, I think I may try one. I need to be active, radio or otherwise.
I discovered a delightful use of bananas on a web site devoted to such things. It is "breakfast on the go." It involves removing the center of the banana and filling it with cereal and milk. (Click here to go to the web site). Probably not practical, but may be loads of fun for kids.
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As I recall, the maypole was the last event on the program, and we each held on to a very long strip of crepe paper, brightly colored, and skipped around the pole, braiding the paper as we went. When we completed all our circuits around the pole, the multi-colored paper transformed it into a real maypole, whatever that was supposed to be.
The maypole thing was preceded with dances around it by the boys and girls. I remember a couple of those. In one of them I was dressed in a sailor suit, and sort of hopped from foot to foot, alternately placing my hands at my waist and at my back, to the tune of "Sailing, sailing over the bounding main.."
Another of those dances involved girl-boy partners dressed like little cowboys and cowgirls and we sort of skipped as we moved around the pole to "Put your little foot, put your little foot, put your little foot right here.." (or "there" maybe). We always did something from year to year. I'm sure the adults found it hard to be cheerful and happy-go-lucky at those May Day celebrations as the war in Europe was about to involve our own country. As a matter of fact, I recall one day at school when the radio was tied into the public address system and Hitler's speech was broadcast so that the entire student body could hear it.
So the memories are both happy and sad. A microcosm of life itself, which includes experiences of all kinds.
I'm not sure if "May Day" has much meaning for us anymore, but I hope yours is a happy day.
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(This blog resembles one from September 2007. Click here if you like).]]>
I know it's not good for me to eat my meals without drinking anything, but it's what I usually do. I complete my dinner, then look up and see a full glass of something as yet untouched. If I'm in a restaurant, usually it's water. Since it's my habit to eat without drinking, why waste money on costly drinks that I won't drink? Usually I will drink most of the water after the meal because it's there.
At home, however, I drink a little of this and some of that, mostly diet drinks and coffee. For a long time, I preferred the artificially flavored and artificially sweetened drinks bought from the grocer as powders to be mixed with water. Usually a packet makes two quarts. Some of these products have been discontinued by the makers.
Lately, I've discovered tomato juice. I find it easier to drink that with my meals, probably because it seems more like a vegetable (don't tell me it's a fruit, please--I know it is, but I would prefer not to know). It tastes good.
When I looked up the ingredients, vitamin content, fat, etc. I discovered that one of its uses is in mixed drinks (alcoholic beverages). However, I find it quite good all by itself. Haven't had but one partial bottle, so I've not yet given it a fair test as far as drinking it often. We'll see.
The people of the Bible did not drink tomato juice; tomatoes were not introduced to the Middle East until the late 1800's. Ancient Israelites drank water, milk, fresh juices from fruits in season, and wine. Dietary laws determined specific selections of food and drink for the Israelites.
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